


Time After Time

by gopherbroke



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Ben Solo is a grump, College Student Rey (Star Wars), F/M, HISTORICAL INACCURACIES ABOUND, Maz likes to interfere, Professor Ben Solo, Teacher-Student Relationship, This is for smut not education., UST, everytime they touch they get this feeling, hopefully this fic won't go for too long., i've been planning this one out for MONTHS, simmering burrrrn., smut will come, you should know me by now.
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-05
Updated: 2018-10-25
Packaged: 2019-07-25 18:16:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16202960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gopherbroke/pseuds/gopherbroke
Summary: Rey is one semester from graduating and despite her years of effort to avoid his infamous temper, she has no choice but to take a class under Professor Solo's tutelage. Things donotstart as she planned and soon Rey is filled with questions to a mystery she cannot solve and feelings that she cannot explain.Ben doesn't understand why his newest student gets under his skin so easily. After years of teaching students that strive for mediocrity he had a thick skin and a keen sense of awareness,  so why is he now unable to answer seemingly the most basic questions. And why can't he get Rey out of his head?Everytime Rey and Ben touch they are instantly transported to different time in history where their historical counterparts already seem to know each other. It's up to them to find each other and find the way back to the present before it begins all over again.What year is it this time?Why does Maz keep popping up?And how the hell do they make it stop?





	1. The First Time

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this plot in my head for many months now and finally want to free it before it eats me alive. It's gonna be epic I swear. 
> 
> I will try to keep my updates regular! This story is a long time coming and I can't wait to get it all out for you to read.

“Rey! We’re late!” Rose yelled, banging on her bedroom door.

“Ok ok!” Rey groaned and she finished sliding on her flats before she grabbed her bag. She was _not_ looking forward to classes today. Today was the first day of her last semester; she should be thrilled.

Instead all she could think about is the fact that she had Ben Solo for a teacher. She had thought she had avoided his classes well enough the past few years, making sure that she met her credits and required classes through other Professors. She had thought that she had gotten away with it too.

That was until she received the letter in the mail this past summer break that her current roster of classes would have to be changed. Ben Solo now taught the only Bio Technology class at the University and it was one of the last ones on her requirements in order for her to graduate.

She had shredded the letter in anger and signed up for Solo’s stupid class.

A class she was now running late for.

“ _Reeey_! I’m leaving without you!” Her roommate shouted from the hallway.

“Shitshitshit.” Rey nearly tripped as she scurried out of the door. She had forgotten her breakfast and her stomach growled in protest as she threw herself into Rose’s tiny red Kia.

“Forget your alarms?” Rose questioned as they peeled out from their parking spot.

“No… just dreading today.” Rey mumbled.

“Professor Solo isn’t _that_ bad.” Rose tried to reason as she sped their way to school. “Just take a seat in the very back, keep quiet, and do your work.” Her best friend shot her a wiry grin. “Oh, and avoid any and all eye contact at all times.”

Rey’s stomach reeled. “Not helping, Tico.”

Rose shrugged. “If you don’t make it back after today, do I get your Switch?”

“Not on your life.” Rey snickered. She clutched the handlebar as Rose veered through a roundabout. “Which apparently you are planning on splattering all over the road.” She shrieked as she took a corner unusually tight.

“Almost there.” Rose rolled her eyes. “Just hold on to your ‘Oh Shit’ handle and you’ll be fine.”

“If you kill me, at least it would have been before Professor Solo’s class.”  Rey was suddenly thankful that she had skipped breakfast; it would have been left on the road a half mile ago anyway.

“Rey Niima. Murdered by a tiny Asian driving a tiny Asian car.” Rose snickered.

“You a fortune teller now?” Rey teased.

“I am.” Rose pulled up to the main road off from the school. “And I predict that you and Professor Solo are going to get along fabulously.”

“You’re a better driver than you are a master of fate.” Rey heaved as Rose screeched into a parking spot.

Rey flung out of the car as soon as it was parked, her feet already booking it down the sidewalk to the Coruscant building, where the largest lecture halls were. She ran quickly, dodging people that were walking along the path and trying not to push them into the grass. She was nearly there and her class started in two minutes. 

She could make it.

“Would you like a coffee?” A small old woman stepped out in front of her and Rey tripped in her attempt not to careen right into her. She was half of Rey’s size, pushing a small drinks cart, her giant glasses magnifying her wide eyes as she blinked up at her.  

“What? No. I’m late, I’m sorry!” Rey apologized, straightening herself in a hurry.

“Just one cup to help an old lady reach her sales quota?” She pleaded. “It’s Takodana’s best.”

Rey smiled, her heart going out to the miniscule elder. “Sure. Of course. How much?” 

The old woman peered at her, lifting her glasses to squint at Rey, her eyes tiny and crinkled without the magnification of the glasses. “Have we met before, child?”

“What” Rey paused, puzzled. She was rifling through her wallet looking for a five dollar note.”No, I don’t think so. Is five enough?”

“I have lived long enough to see the same eyes in different people. I have seen your eyes. I know your eyes.” She continued. “Just like I knew his.”

“I’m so sorry!” Rey handed her a ten. “I’m running late!” She made to leave but was stopped with a small, cool hand on her arm.

“Wait!” The woman called. “Don’t forget your coffee!” She pulled a cup from inside her cart and held it out to Rey. “This one is special, I promise.”

Rey took it, balancing her bag carefully over her shoulder as the old woman pushed a bright green cup into her hands. She was surprised find herself also holding onto her bill.

“This one is on me.” The old woman smiled. “Try it! Please!”

Rey took a sip, anxious to hurry along but stopped as soon as the liquid hit her tongue. It was dark and rich, trickling through her like warmed chocolate and Rey gave a slow smile.  “This is delicious. Seriously, the best-“

“I thought you were running late.” The woman interrupted with a wink.

“Right.” Rey grinned. “Thanks for the coffee, Ma’am. “

The woman shuddered. “Not ma’am. The name’s Maz.” The old woman smiled. “And I’m sure we will see each other again.” She hummed lightly as she continued her path down the sidewalk, pushing her drink trolley with a squeaky wheel.

Rey took off, tipping another sip into her throat as she finally burst into the building and headed towards room A-5.

“Take a seat in the back. Avoid eye contact.” Rey repeated to herself as she approached the door. She checked her watch, groaning as she noticed she was a minute late. Hopefully she could just slip in unnoticed. 

She pushed the heavy door open, wincing at the sudden silence that overtook the room. The walls seemed to echo, resonate from the deep voice that she had cut off as she entered.

“You’re late.” The voice sounded again as the entire class honed in on her.

Rey had a sinking feeling in her gut as she carefully closed the door behind her, wincing as the latch clicked, the sound echoing through the silent space. She turned, ready to face her new professor with a hard lump in her throat.

She didn’t expect him to be so young.

She had heard of the infamous Professor Solo from her peers, on how he was an exact stickler for rules and order. On how, even at their best, people barely passed his classes and that any attempt at niceties or familiarity would lead to failed grades and disaster. She had heard of his temper, of his volatile moods and tendency to spit when he yelled. She expected him to be older, hunched and squat from the weight of the world on his back.

She didn’t expect such a set of broad shoulders or the thick shag of black hair. She didn’t expect a towering six foot three figure dressed in black slacks and a black dress shirt, the fabric snug in all the right places, like a second skin curved  around tightly wound  muscles. His wide mouth was pulled into a sneer, but Rey found the way his lips rounded, plush and pink, incredible distracting. She chanced a look at his eyes, finding them black and irritated. She felt a rush of heat flush through her, filling her cheeks. 

_So much for avoiding eye contact._

Rey had definitely heard many stories about Professor Solo over the years, but not one of them had mentioned how… _delectable_ he was.

“I’m sorry.” Rey said quietly, shuffling along the wall. She looked up, scanning for a seat at the back or along the edges.  They were full.  All the seats front center, however, were a ghost town. They must be in spitting distance. She defeatedly slunk into a chair in the front row, setting her coffee cup on the desk.

“Seems like coffee was more important than punctuality.” He mocked, crossing his arms over his chest.

“It won’t happen again, Professor.” It was all Rey could do; grovel.

“See that it doesn’t.” He snapped, turning away. “Stay after class and you can collect the syllabus.”

He launched back into his opening speech, talking about attendance with a pointed look at Rey. “Tardiness will not be tolerated. If you’re late you lose half your points for the day, like your friend here did this morning.”

Rey hid herself under her sweatshirt hood, waiting for him to walk away from her desk so she could take another sip of coffee from the bright green cup. It tasted sweeter this time, nearly like treacle and she couldn’t stop the content sigh that escaped her lips.

Professor Solo’s gaze whipped towards her at the slight sound and she blushed. There was something about the look in his eyes that she couldn’t place and she quickly averted her gaze, hunkering down in her desk.

She managed to get through the rest of his speech and into the first part of his lecture without any further incident.  She could tell by the way he animated himself, his wide exaggerated gestures, that he was passionate about the subject, not an easy task for Bio Tech. It was easy to get lost in his sweeping articulations, carried still on a boat that drifted on the calming dulcet that was his voice.

Perhaps it was too calming.

Rey felt herself close her eyes, just for a second, and allowed his deep voice to flow over her. It had to have been just a second… but there was a sudden smacking sound and she jolted in her chair, eyes fluttering open wide to see his face looming over her, his eyes hard and seething.

His palm was open, held high and Rey looked down to notice her class textbook open on the ground.

“Late _and_ sleeping.” He growled. “What’s your name?”

“R-Rey.”

“Rey Niima.” He finished, his face still glaring, his voice pulled into a cruel timbre. “Collect your things. You’re excused for the day and you have lost all points.”

Rey’s face flamed as she bent to collect the book he had slammed onto the floor. This was not the way she wanted things to go on her first day. She slung her bag back over her shoulder and slipped from the chair.

“Next time, don’t bother showing up.” He hissed as she passed. She broke out of his classroom with a gasp, waiting until the latch clicked behind her before she let out a growl of frustration, tears stinging behind the backs of her eyes.

Professor Solo was as horrible as everyone made him out to be, but she wouldn’t be defeated. She wasn’t one to ever give up. She waited outside the door, ignoring the curious glances of people that passed. Her green coffee cup was finally empty, the drops at the bottom nearly as sweet as honey. She discarded it into a nearby trashcan as the clock finally came around the hour mark and the class door flung open, students spilling anxiously from the room. They all looked at her as they passed, some with pity, others with fascination, and a few even with approval.

“Dude, you fell asleep in Solo’s class.” Someone nudged her. “That’s insane.”

“I’m surprised he didn’t execute you.” Another voice snickered.

“My roommate fell asleep in one of his classes and he was dragged, literally dragged to the headmaster’s office and Solo tried to have him expelled.”

A hand slapped on her shoulder. “Good luck.”

Rey felt a lump in her throat and she tried to unsuccessfully swallow it away.

She waited for the stream of students and snickers to stop before she slipped back through the door, her footsteps echoing through the empty lecture hall. He was gathering his things at the podium and Rey couldn’t help but smile at the sight of a matching bright green coffee cup. He must have run into Maz as well. He glanced at her as she walked back into the room, but didn’t acknowledge her as she approached.

“Takodana’s best got you too?” She tried, gesturing to his cup as he picked it up.

“It didn’t do you any good, so what does it matter?” He tipped the rest of his coffee back before tossing the cup in the garbage.

“I’m here for my syllabus.” Rey tried again.

“What makes you think I’m allowing you back in my class, Niima?” He looked at her, his lips scrunching. Rey found the gesture distracting; it highlighted his wide mouth and the creases in his cheeks that could be dimples. 

“I need this class, Professor Solo.” She forced her gaze from his mouth to his eyes.

“I’ve heard that one before. Try again.” He growled, shoving papers into his bag.

“It won’t happen again. Please.” Rey begged.  “I won’t let you down, Professor. Just give me another chance.”

He huffed, shoving his hand through his hair and giving Rey a whole other dimension of him to distract herself with. The strands seemed endless; his hair was thick, falling between his fingers like tendrils of ink.

“I don’t do second chances, Niima.” He muttered. “But your reputation from other Professors has earned you one. You can thank them for their endless praise of your work.”

“Thank you, sir!” Rey beamed, the pressure in her chest easing.

He held up a hand and Rey gaped at the size of his palm. His hands were enormous and her mind briefly drifted into the gutter as she scanned over the size of his fingers. Rose would be so amused.

“Don’t get too excited.” Professor Solo muttered. “One chance. You get _one_. If you’re late, if you sleep, if you fail a test or miss an assignment, you are _out_. I don’t care if it keeps you from graduating.”

“I won’t let you down, sir.” Rey gulped.  She would need to set her alarms a whole hour back now, just to be careful.

He gave a slight grunt and extended out a stapled bunch of papers to her, his forearms flexing under his rolled up sleeves.

The syllabus.

Rey felt triumphant as she reached out for it, her fingers over shooting the distance slightly and accidently brushing against his. There was a sizzling feeling as skin met skin and Rey yelped lightly as the electric feeling coursed through her, extending up her arm as it filled her veins with warmth. She thought she could hear a deep rumble exclaim from the other side, but then the tremors of static, hot and pulsing, reached her head, flooding behind her eyes and everything went white.

Then the world Rey knew was gone.

 

* * *

 

It was with a start that she existed again.

Rey blinked rapidly, chest heaving, gasping for air as if she had been submerged for too long.

“Rey, darling, are you alright?” A voice to her right sounded and a warm hand came over her own. Her vision slowly returned to her and she shook slightly as she took in the unfamiliar environment. She was surrounded by a bunch of strangers, all dressed as if they were in some sort of period drama or play. With a panicked thought, she quickly looked down at herself, her hands coming up against a thick, strange fabric. It was tight around her middle, accentuating her small waist, but making it damn near impossible to breathe.

She was dressed just like them.

She grasped at the fabric, the foreign texture heavy between her fingers as she rapidly studied the room. It was brightly lit with long windows shining in beams of sunlight. Heavy curtains in rich fabric hung around them and a large hearth dominated the far end of the room. She could feel the flickers of heat that escaped, warming her fingers.

She was seated on a tiny antique looking chair and was surrounded by women her age and older. Most of them were working on some sort of needlepoint and Rey felt the room spin slightly. Her lap held a small, leather-bound book, the pages fallen open as if she had just dropped it.

_Where the hell was she?_

Rey stood, whirling around, her hair long and curled down her back, nothing like the shoulder length style she had for years.

“Rey, what’s wrong?” A soothing voice sounded and she looked over to see an older woman with kind eyes not unlike her own.

“I- I...” Rey started. “Where am I?”

“She’s confused again.” Someone sighed.

Rey felt hot and flushed, the tight bindings of her dress making her nearly claustrophobic.

_What the hell?_

She made a grab for her chair and the woman with the kind eyes was suddenly beside her, pressing a cool hand against her forehead.

“She’s burning up.” The woman gasped. “William, fetch the doctor. Now! If anything happens to my daughter, it will be on your life.”

_Daughter?_

Rey was pushed back into her chair, the women around her fretting as she fought to maintain consciousness. She gasped, needing to breathe, fingers clutching at the dress, trying to pull it off so she could fill her lungs. She needed air; she needed space, she needed -

“Where?” She heard a deep voice call out.

“Over here, Doctor. Quick, it’s the Missus.”

Rey squinted at the sight of someone tall entering the room, a shock of dark hair on a broad frame. He looked remarkably like… like…

“Rey, just hold on. The doctor is here.  He always is able to help, remember?”  The woman who was supposedly her mother coaxed gently.

“Rey?” She heard the deep voice call out, surprised.

Her eyes flicked open wide as suddenly the doctor was standing before her. He was dressed finely, in silk breeches and a waistcoat, an imposing figure enhanced by the formal attire. He knelt suddenly and Rey scrambled back in her chair as she caught the wide bewildered gaze of a familiar set of dark eyes.

“Professor Solo?” She breathed and she watched as he swallowed thickly, his brows furrowing before he gave her the briefest nod.

_What the fuck was going on?_

 

 


	2. A Doctor and the Noble's Daughter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all of the positive response! I'm so glad to have all of you here with me for this fun story!

 

* * *

 

Ben Solo stared out into the lecture hall, his fists curling briefly at the sea of faces, barely awake and bleary, that blinked back at him.

He hated early morning classes.

He hated giving them the very best of his knowledge and only have mediocrity spat back at him in return.

And he hated that he was going to have to give her a second chance.

Her reputation had preceded her and he gave an internal growl. The other science Professors would never let him off the hook if he kicked out their precious _Rey_. He had heard her name in whispers and praises many times over the years and waited for the day when he could have a chance to teach her himself.  He had heard of her passion, or her wit, of her natural inclination to the sciences and he was looking forward to having her for a student.  Only she always seemed to elude him.

It wasn’t until he finally saw her name on his class roster, the one he had switched last minute with Holdo that he smiled. Finally, there was a student that had the potential, had the ability to actually learn from what he had to offer.

_Rey Niima._

Then she too, was nothing but a disappointment.

She had dared to shirk in late.

She had dared to come in clutching a cup of coffee, a familiar flash of bright green.

He had forgiven her of that immediately; minor transgressions. But then he had happened to look over at her after he had started his lecture, hoping to see her wide hazel eyes, eager and accepting. They were closed, her face soft and relaxed. She didn’t even have the ability to stay awake through his opening lecture. His heart flooded with disappointment, tingling flashes of rage and resentment at himself for building her up in his head.

He let her book slam down extra hard, relishing in the brief moment of terror that passed over her eyes.

But the satisfaction was underwhelming, nearly nonexistent as he watched her leave his room. He had almost wanted to call her back, but then what a fool would he seem to be. Something like that would damn near ruin his reputation. When Rey came back into the room on her own he nearly sighed with relief.

Then he made his peace offering, an olive branch with this year’s syllabus printed on its stapled pages.

Her fingers touched his, spawning a blaze of electricity that seemed to course through his very blood. He gasped as it swallowed him, his world falling away into a haze of white. He tried to shout but found his voice had ceased to exist and he fluttered his eyes closed as the pressure in his veins became overwhelming. Then everything stopped; he had the unnerving sensation of existing outside the plane of time.

It was almost with whiplash that it started again.

He shot up, chest heaving slightly as he blinked, his vision returning to him in blurry waves. His hands came up to his chest and his froze, feeling layers of thick fabric under his fingers instead of the singular dress shirt he had buttoned on this morning.

_What the hell?_

Ben glanced around him, taking in the dark paneled walls. He was in a smaller room, an office by the looks of the desk in front of him. There was a large black leather bag on the wooden surface and he peeked inside to see an assortment of what appeared to be medical supplies from another century. Papers littered the surface, the letters written in an elegant hand, not far off from his own calligraphic script. He picked up a sheet of the parchment, scanning the words with a puzzled look creased into his brows.

“ _Doctor Solo?”_ He muttered in bewilderment.

The door suddenly flew open and a young boy in simple cotton clothes and a wool hat came bursting in.

“Doctor Solo, please hurry!”

Ben looked around the room to see if there was anyone else the kid could be addressing and found no one.

“Quick! Please sir!”

“Okay… where are we going?” Ben ran his hand through his hair and made to follow the boy.  

“Don’t you need your medicine bag, sir?” The boy ask, his face twisting in puzzlement.

“Oh. Right.” Ben grabbed the odd bag from his desk and followed the boy from the room, his feet stalling as soon as they scraped against the gravel of the road. This definitely wasn’t the University. Horses pulled dusty carriages over the dirt road, hooves clipping in a hustled cadence. People milled around the buildings in waistcoats and dresses, chattering before quaint shop fronts built into sturdy masonry and Ben tried not to gawk at the sight. It was as if he had stepped into a movie set. He glanced around, half expecting to see a drone or crane mounted camera but there was nothing but smokey rooftops and pidgeons.

“Hurry, Doctor Solo!” The boy called out and Ben scrambled to catch up with him.

One shop suddenly caught his eye. A shock of familiar green and the word Takodana’s hung from the window, teacups and kettles neatly displayed behind the glass.

He remembered the strange woman that had practically had to coerce him into taking her damn cup of coffee, which happened to be the best cup he had ever had.

_Could she have to do with this? What the hell was in that coffee?_

He stared at the shop as he followed the boy, nearly running into the small servant as he came to a halt in front a pair for grand doors. The lad pushed them open and Ben entered  a fine marble foyer. He could hear the sounds of women fretting.

“Where?” He asked the boy.

“Over here, Doctor. Quick, it’s the Missus.”

Ben had never stepped foot in this home before but his feet seemed to automatically lead him into a sunlit room, where a bunch of women were hovering over someone in a chair.

“Rey, just hold on. The doctor is here.  He always is able to help, remember?” An older woman soothed.

_Rey. As in Rey Niima? Was she here too?_

“Rey?” He called out as the woman parted. It was definitely her, although she looked quite distressed. Her face was flushed, a sheen of sweat glistened on her skin and her eyes seemed glassy and unfocused. She appeared to be struggling to breathe and Ben bent before her, concerned.

He was surprised when her eyes flickered with instant recognition and relief.

“Professor Solo?” She whispered and he swallowed back his surprise. It was Rey, _his_ Rey and not the Rey of this strange world he had found himself in. He gave her a slight nod and her eyes widened.  

“I can’t breathe.” She panted desperately. “Help me.”  Ben’s eyes scanned over the tight lacings of her dress and he frowned.

“Leave the room.” He ordered, standing to face the huddle of woman that crowded behind him. They flitted off, aside from the older, matronly woman who had been by Rey’s side earlier.

“It’s not proper to leave her without a chaperone.” She whispered.

“You would risk Rey’s life on propriety?” Ben hissed. The woman’s eyes flickered over to Rey who was slumped over in her seat and she gave a worried twist of her hands. “She will be safe, Ma’am.” Ben tried again.

The woman slowly headed towards the door. “Have a care, doctor. She’s my only child.” The latch clicked behind her as she left and Ben quickly locked the door, propping it up with a chair as well before rushing back to Rey and kneeling before her.

“Rey.” He pulled her forward by her elbows to sit up and her head lolled to the side. “Rey, I need to unfasten your corset. Do you understand?”

She was breathing shallowly and Ben decided not to wait for a response, pulling her forward so she leaned against him. She was a light a feather as she fell into his chest and he quickly began to pull at the fabric, trying to find a way into the old fashioned dress. He made it easily through the pins of the stomacher, shoving the back of the gown away and then quickly began tugging at the laces of her corset. There were a few snaps as he busted through the seams. His thick fingers made quick brutal work of the ties and the boned stays suddenly released her, her chest expanding as it filled with long overdue air.

She coughed, still nestled against him and he found his hand coming around to her back, seeking to steady her. Instead his fingers trailed up and down against the linen of her shift, tingling slightly at her warmth. She breathed, heavy and uneven for a few moments before she finally stilled.

She was so soft.

“Better?” He asked softly. Rey pulled away and looked at him sheepishly.

“Yes. I just had no idea what was happening. Why was that woman calling me her daughter? I’ve never even had a mother.” Rey bit her lip. “Then I felt like I couldn’t breathe and it kept getting worse.”

“Sounds like a panic attack.” Ben tried to explain. He kept his gaze on her face and not the loose fabric of her dress that had fallen open to show the golden skin around her collar.

“Yeah. Probably.” Rey took a deep shuddering intake of air. “At least I can breathe now. Where are we, anyway?”

“Definitely not at school anymore.” Ben huffed. “My guess is sometime in the early 1800’s, based on the clothes and the carriages.”

_“Carriages?”_

Ben remembered suddenly about the store that said Takodana’s on the window and he questioned her eagerly. “This morning, you had a cup, a bright green up of coffee, did you not?”

“I… I did.” Rey confirmed slowly. “Takodana’s. And so did you. Do you think-“

“Who served you that cup?” Ben interrupted.

“Some strange little old lady, said her name was Maz.” Rey answered as she brought a finger to her temples and rubbed the skin there.

“What’s curious, “ Ben started, “is that there is a tea shop  maybe a block away, also called Takodana’s.”

Rey whirled to look at him. “Do you think there’s any chance that…”

Ben huffed and straightened. “There’s only one way to find out.”

“Let’s go!” Rey stood, gripping Ben’s arm for a moment to steady herself.

“Uhrrm.” Ben felt his ears heat and he gestured to her gown. “Your dress is still…”

“Oh. Can you re-lace it?  Only this time with breathing room?” Rey asked with a light laugh. She turned around, exposing her ruined dress.

“I have no idea how this goes back together.” Ben looked helplessly at the bits of fabric that he had burrowed through. He tried to retie the stays gently, giving her plenty of breathing room, and he pulled the back of the gown back over her shoulders. “I think there were pins.” He mumbled, hunting the ground.

“Found one!” Rey exclaimed, bending down to fetch it. She managed to pin her dress back to the stomacher in the front and she smoothed her hands over the front of her dress before she smiled at him. “How do I look?”

Ben bit the inside of his cheek to keep from smirking. He had made a disaster of her dress.  The front was crooked, the layers didn’t lie flat and her chest was spilling dangerously out over the top. “You look like a trollop.”

“Hey!” Rey blushed, pulling her arms over her chest. “It’s all your fault, you know.”

“Here.” Ben shrugged his wool coat off and draped the heavy fabric over her shoulders. “Let’s get out of here.” He was left in his white billowy sleeves and waistcoat and he cleared his throat.  

“What about all those women?” Rey gestured towards the door. “One of them says she’s my mother.”

“She probably is.” Ben reasoned. “I don’t know what the hell is going on, but these lives don’t belong to us. The Rey that belongs here has a family, has a mother.”

Rey bit her lip and a heart broken expression came over her face. “I wish I could know her.”

Ben may be an asshole, but he wasn’t without compassion. “I’m sorry, Rey.”

“Nope.” Rey stuck her finger at him. “Don’t pity me. That makes things worse.” She straightened Ben’s coat over her shoulders. “Let’s go to Takodana’s and see if we can figure things out.”

Ben removed the chair from under the door and flung it open, smirking as a crowd of women scattered.

“I’m taking Rey to my office.” He called out, herding Rey quickly towards the door with a hand on each shoulder.

“Doctor Solo!” Rey’s mother called out. “Where are you taking my daughter?”

“It is urgent that I see to her care, Ma’am.” He answered. “I’ll bring her back as soon as I can.”

“Doctor Solo!” She had called out again. Ben ignored her and pushed her out the front door.

“Holy crap!” Rey exclaimed as they exited onto the street. “There are like, real horse drawn carriages and shit!”

A few heads turned with Rey profane outburst and Ben cleared his throat. “I apologize.” He said loudly. “This lady is unwell.”

“Whoops.” Rey let out a giggle. “Sorry, Professor. It’s just a lot to take in.”

“I know what you mean.” Ben led her quickly down the cobblestone walkways and turned the corner, spotting Takodana’s storefront.

“It’s the same green!” Rey shrieked, pulling Ben towards the door, her hand warm on his forearm. His white linen shirt was thin enough to feel the heat of her palm on his skin and he couldn’t help but stare at it for a moment. There was a bell that tinkled above the entrance as they entered and they both looked in wonder as they took in the interior. There was steam everywhere and the air in the shop felt heavy with the resulting humidity. Ben swore he could smell that treacle tart coffee that he had tasted this morning.

“Hello?” He called out. “Anyone here?”

“In the back!” A voice answered. He exchanged a glance with Rey and they made their way past boiling pipes and simmering pots.

“It smells like coffee.” Rey offered. “Like _the_ coffee.”

“I know.” Ben pulled aside a heavy curtain as they continued back into the shop. There were towers of stacked teacups of all shapes and colors and they carefully navigated around them, finally spotting the small older woman in the back. She was on a ladder, carefully dumping beans into a large machine.

“It’s her!” Rey called out and the lady turned, her glasses magnifying her familiar eyes.

“Ah. It’s you two. I was wondering when I would be seeing you. Sooner than I had I imagined, but that is no matter.” She went back to emptying her beans into what looked like a grinder and they both watched as she slowly climbed down the ladder to turn it on.

“Where are we?” Rey questioned. “ Do you know us? How do we get home?”

“One question at a time, child.” She snickered, taking a sample of the ground beans and rolling them between her small fingers. She licked it and grumbled, adjusting the settings on her machine.

“Maz.” Ben addressed her directly. “That is your name,  right?”                                     

“If it’s not, than call me surprised.” Maz chucked.  “Been called worse things though.” They both followed her as she walked along her machine, banging a copper piper with a soft hammer. There was a melodic tune that seemed to play as she tapped along. “So. You two had a little bit of an ‘out of this world’ experience, eh?” Maz chuckled to herself as she turned some gauges.

“So you know?” Ben pressed anxiously.

“Know what?” Maz answered straight faced.

“How do we get home!” Rey cried out.

“My child, you are home.” Maz chuckled. “Well… the home of your other selves, at least.”  

“Other selves?” Ben asked.

Maz banged on the vat with her fist and her machine gave a loud chortle. “Other selves. You two are fated. Repeated through time.”

“Like reincarnation?” Rey asked. His coat started falling off her shoulders and Ben resisted the urge to fix it.          

“Somewhat.” Maz answered. She pressed a button on her machine and a stream of dark liquid trickled out. They both watched as Maz filled two tea cups. “You two thirsty? It’s Takodana’s best.” Maz gave a exaggerated wink and pushed the cups towards the two.  

“Will it send us back home, I mean our home?” Rey eyeballed the cups anxiously.

“Not this time. This is just good coffee. You two have get home on your own.”

“And how’s that?” Ben asked.

“A spark.” Maz smiled cryptically. “Ignition.” 

She stepped up on a small stool to peer closer at them.

“Like electricity?” Rey wondered. “Do I need to taser him? I could taser him.”

Maz threw her hands up in the air.  “Hopeless. No wonder it’s taken lifetimes for you two.”

“ _Lifetimes_?” Rey and Ben both asked in unison.                                        

Maz groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose with her small fingers. “You’ll have to see for yourselves I guess. “ She hopped down from her stool and scuttled towards the back again. “Never have I met such a thick headed pair.” Ben heard her mutter as she disappeared.

“A spark?” Rey repeated aloud.  “What do you think she means?” She took one of the tea cups Maz had offered and sipped it, her eyes fluttering closed briefly in contentment. “Oh this is better than I remember.”

Ben shrugged. “Maybe there’s a gadget we need to find.” He took his matching cup and also took a good sip. It _was_ delicious. He swallowed, lips clenching slightly as he thought over Maz’s puzzle. “I can look through the bag of medical stuff that was on the desk in when I presume is this Ben’s office. Maybe there’s something there.”

“Oh, for the love of the Force.” Maz groaned, coming back with a tiny ladder.   She climbed it up to the top step, nearly reaching Rey’s height, around eye level to Ben’s chest. She put a small wrinkling hand between them and they both eyed her curiously. “A spark. Remember this, otherwise you will have a rough ride ahead of you.” She snapped her fingers and Ben found himself pressed against Rey, her lips a whisper away from his. Her eyes went wide, pupils blooming black as they shared the slip of atmosphere between them.

“A spark.” He rumbled, his eyes flickering down to her lips. They parted slightly under his gaze and he felt a curl of warmth pull through his chest, like steam winding over frozen joints. Ben felt like he was breathing for the first time as his hand tightened around her back.

_Since when was he holding her?_

“Ignition.” Rey murmured. She tilted her chin, aligning their faces and Ben swallowed thickly. His eyes fluttered closed as he pressed his lips against hers, a soft brush of skin on skin. It was just a whisper, as if a feather had brushed against his mouth, but there was a sudden tingling that flared into heat. It burned quick and hot and he gasped as he was suddenly staring at Rey, the two of them clutching a paper between them.

He dropped his half of the syllabus as if it burned.

She was looking at him, wide eyed and curious and he felt his ears heat.

If he closed his eyes he could still see her, wrapped in a gentleman’s coat, lips slightly parted. It felt hazy, as if he had just stepped out of a dream. He wanted to cling to the remnants that lingered in his mind before whatever had happened slipped away.

Ben cleared his throat as he slung his actual coat over his arm and grabbed his bag. “See that you’re on time from now on, Niima.” He scowled at the flash of hurt that briefed over her face before she straightened and nodded. She dashed ahead of him and out the door, letting it nearly hit him in the face in her haste.

_What a strange day dream. Was it even a dream?_

He was trying to rationalize why he suddenly had so many strong images in his head, images of her breathless, of a tattered blue dress, of her coffee flavored kiss.

Ben played out the memories as best as he could his entire way home. He had no idea what had happened, there were a few parts that felt hazy to him. He clenched his fist around the steering wheel as he struggled to remember. It was like one of those dreams, where everything seemed to important, so realistic upon waking, then as the day progressed, things faded away. There were a few things that stayed sharp in his mind. The words “spark and ignition”, the curious coffee woman, Rey’s lips on his, and how soft the skin of her back was beneath thin, muslin cloth.

He swallowed, his foot accelerating on his expensive sports car while he drove home. His house was large and silent, decorated in shadows and empty furniture. He had paid a designer to furnish the place and they must have thought his home should be as listless and colorless as his life. His grey couch caught his bag as his tossed it, as usual and he immediately went to his bar, pouring himself a generous shot of whiskey and downing it. He had thought of Rey all day; his mind wouldn’t leave her alone.  He poured another two fingers and allowed the warmth to slide into his mind as well as his stomach.

It had to have been a dream.

There was no other explanation.

Ben showered, feeling as if he had washed away a century’s worth of dust from his hair. The water swirled around the drain and he watched the bubbles spin, a sudsy galaxy orbiting a black hole.

What if it wasn’t a dream? Was there a chance Rey had experienced… whatever that was too?

He couldn’t think of any way to ask her without sounding like completely insane. Ben growled, slamming the shower tap off and quickly dressed in a baggy pair of black sweats and a tee. With a huff, he fell back into his couch, pulling up his book bag. He had every intention of working on his class plans, but he quickly drifted off, his mind and body exhausted.  

It was as if he had just lived two lifetimes in one.

            

                                                                                                                                      

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
>  
> 
> Coming up next time... Rey shares her recollection with Rose and an accident sends them tumbling through time again.


	3. The Lonely Flapper Girl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been so encouraged by all the comments and thoughts I've recieved regarding my story and concept. It really has been wonderful so thank you to everyone who has read and supported my silliness. KyloTrashForever, always a wonderful Beta and friend, has helped me outline the remainer of the fic and its soooo going places. I can't wait!!

* * *

 

Rey ran from Professor Solo as soon as her last name fell from his lips; the very same lips that she could swear were just pressed against hers. She could still practically feel them tingle. His gaze seemed so full of aversion that she had torn herself away, her mind still reeling from whatever it was that she had just experienced.

Was it a dream?

She could still nearly feel the heavy fabric of her dress hanging around her waist. It had swished wonderfully as she walked and her legs felt strangely bare in only her leggings as she rushed off to her next class. Her head ached slightly as she tried her best to mentally digest everything that had just happened.

It was for the most part, slightly fuzzy, distant as if it had happened long ago. But there were moments that stood out, tangible and strong enough that she could nearly feel the weight of Ben’s coat on her shoulders.  She could see his  fingers working on the fastenings of her dress.

Rey shook her head, rubbing her temples at the slight ache she had developed from trying to process everything. She powered through her next class before she headed to her and Rose’s favorite lunch spot.

“I got us tuna today!” Rose called out as she headed towards Rey was already sitting at their favorite picnic table. She liked the one that was nestled deep in the trees, out of sight from the throngs of students that were always mingling on the sidewalks. Her friend plopped down with a wide smile, her face a welcome and familiar sight from this morning’s confusion.

Rey took the wrapped food that Rose pushed over the table. Rose always handled lunch and their favorite sandwich place, The Banthawich, was just right across the street from the campus library.

“Extra pickles?” Rey asked with a smile.  

“You act like this is my first time.” Rose huffed. “Of course there’s extra pickles. Oh, and I got you a couple of those tiny oranges you like.” She rolled them over the Rey, who caught them deftly in her hand.

“Yesss!” Rey grinned and started peeling the small fruit. “ _Oh_. This is exactly what I needed after this morning. Thank you Rose.”

Rose finished her rather large mouthful, offering her a sympathetic look. “What happened this morning? Was Professor Solo mad that you were late?”

“Professor Solo was… ” Rey started with a frown before a flash, an image of his lips on hers burst forward in her mind. His lashes were long as they fluttered closed and she could remember his scent, like toffee and cardamom under her nose. “He was… unbelievable.” Rey groaned.

“I got you extra pickles.” Rose complained. “You better give me more than just ‘unbelievable’.”

Rey sighed, rolling an orange peel between her fingers.

Where was she supposed to start?

Rose was going to think she was crazy if she told her she had a whole dream in the span of a few seconds, a snap in time. But if she didn’t tell someone she was going to _explode_. She popped an orange segment into her mouth, squishing the juice free with her teeth before chewing.

“If I tell you, Rose… promise me you won’t think I’m crazy.”

“I already do think you’re crazy.” Rose snickered.

Rey rolled her eyes. “Well, be prepared. I’m about to sound a whole lot crazier.”

“Spill.” Rose pressed anxiously.

Rey took a huge breath and launched into her story, recounting the events of the past morning to her best friend. Rose took in the info with widening eyes. She told her friend of Professor Solo’s initial anger with her, of the treacle tart coffee, of the memories of dresses and waistcoats. She left out the small part of Professor Solo’s kiss, wanting to preserve the memory of his lips on hers for her own for now.

“So you’re saying, you touched him and then you dreamed of a different life with him?” Rose cleared her throat as she stared in rapt fascination. Her eyebrows had lifted so high Rey wondered if they could fly right off her face.

“That sounds even crazier when you say it back to me.” She mumbled, finishing off her oranges.  

Rose shrugged. “I’ve heard stranger. Do you think Professor Solo had the same dream?”

“I don’t know.” Rey nibbled on the tuna. “It’s not really a question I could ask him.”

“Wouldn’t it be awesome if he had the same experience though? It would be like fate.” Rose gleamed.

“Oh no, here we go. You and your hopeless romanticism.” Rey huffed. Rose was in love with the concept of love. She had never met a bigger fan of romcoms and Rose would constantly fill their girl’s nights with the latest movies, right down to the wooden Hallmark ones. Her friend would giggle and squeal while Rey, ever the cynic, would pick it apart and blow open the plot holes.

“Think about it though, Rey. How perfect would it be if he had the same experience?”

“Like hell I’m asking him, so you can just pull your train into the station before it derails.” Rey chuckled, sipping her water.  “It was a fluke. Maybe I have a brain tumor or something.”

“Bah.” Rose frowned as she finished her sandwich. “Well if anything else happens, you’d better tell me right away, otherwise no more pickles.”

Rey laughed. “Fine. You’ll be the first to know.”

 They finished their lunch and Rey threw out the garbage before giving her roommate a hug, the two of them separating for the rest of their classes.

Rey didn’t bring up the incident again, despite the amount of time she spent mulling it over in her head. It weighed heavy on her thoughts as she muddled through the rest of her classes, as Rose chattered away during dinner, even as she finally showered and climbed into bed. The feeling of her Professor’s hands and lips were the last thing she thought of before she finally succumbed to the heavy curtain of sleep.

 

* * *

 

Rey was sure to be on time to Professor Solo’s class the following morning. She sat a few rows back this time and she tried not to let the air flutter out of her lungs as she watched him enter the lecture hall. Just seeing him brought the memories fresh into her mind again and she resisted the phantom call to tug at her nonexistent corset. She stared at him as he launched into his lecture, appreciative of the advantage to study him without looking like a creep.

There was a sudden expected appreciation for his figure, the way he took up so much space with his broad form, yet his movements were still graceful. She alone had the mental image of him in perfectly tailored breeches and a waistcoat and she smiled to herself as she tried to compare her memory to the man who paced before her.

He didn’t look at her once the entire lecture. Every time he cast his gaze out into the hall his eyes seemed to slip over her entirely, as if she wasn’t even there.  Rey tried to ignore the sting that his avoidance left her and as the class shuffled out she paused before his podium. He had a pained look on his face as he finally flitted his eyes to hers.

“Have a good day, Professor Solo.” Rey breathed before running out the door. She didn’t miss the look of surprise that came over him as she passed.

Rose pestered her that night about what happened and was sorely disappointed, despite Rey’s reminder that she wasn’t going to ask him about a thing.

It became a habit that week. She rose every morning early, greeted by an anxious pit in her stomach that was only settled by the sight of Professor Solo entering the lecture hall. Seeing him and his thick locks of neatly combed hair, his morning scowl and his broad stretch of shoulders seemed to balm the irritation that gathered while she was away from him. She would spend her morning staring at him, drinking him in and then say her one line to him as she exited. He would nod his head at her and then they began again the next day.

“Have a good day, Professor Solo.”

By week two he expected it, waited for it. He wouldn’t begin to gather up his things until she passed and her line had filled the expanding silence between them. It was on that Friday when she sighed, slinging her bag over her shoulder as she began to approach the podium. His eyes were already trained on her, watching her as she drew closer. She gave him her light smile, as usual and opened her mouth to say her line.  

There was a sudden push as a student barreled into her, sending her careening into the Professor. She could see his startled expression as she fell into him, his arms coming out to keep her from hitting the floor.

His fingers were hot as they grazed over her bare arm and Rey’s eyes widened as the sensations began again, her world fading away until there was nothing but the searing linger of his touch on her skin

Then, just like before it began again, somewhere new.

Rey looked around; the sensation of being somewhere entirely different was jarring. At least she wasn’t completely surprised by it this time and she slowly took in her surroundings. Wherever, or whenever she was, it was nicely decorated.  The wooden floors gleamed and there were rich curtains in a brilliant green that were pulled back to let in morning light.  

“Are you feeling alright, Rey?” a deep voice cut through the silence as her ears popped.  

A rather stern gentleman with familiar eyes was staring at her from the other end of a table and Rey looked down to see her hand stalled in her plate, a fork spearing through what appeared to be eggs.

“Erm… I’m fine.” Rey squeaked. “Thanks.”

“Well, finish your breakfast. We all know how much you’d rather be anywhere else but stuck at the table with your father.”

“My father.” Rey breathed. In the last timeline she had a mother; in this one she had a father. If only in her real timeline she could have either.

“Are you sure you’re feeling alright, dear? Perhaps I should phone over to the Solo’s and let them know you won’t be able to attend their party. ”

_The Solo’s._

Rey froze. If she wanted to go back to her real time, she had to find the Professor. Find him and kiss him.  She blushed at the thought.  “I really do feel fine, father. Just didn’t sleep well is all.”

“Hmm.” The father of this Rey gave her a knowing stare.

“Do you know if Ben Solo will be at the party?” Rey asked softly.

“Benjamin Solo?” Her father looked at her curiously. “I imagine as the host of his own party, he would be there.”

Rey blushed again and shoveled a large bite of eggs into her mouth.

“I thought you told me you would let him go.” Her father continued gently. “Since young Solo’s engagement, you’ve shown great detachment towards the young man.”

Engaged?

Rey’s eggs felt like little stones in her stomach. Professor Solo… or Ben, in this timeline was engaged. It would certainly make getting him alone and kissing him a bit more difficult. What time was this anyway? Rey watched as the man who was her father folded up his paper and discarded it on the table before pushing away his empty breakfast dishes.

“May I see the paper, please?”

He looked at her surprised before nodding curiously and Rey stood to pluck the paper up, unfolding the front page anxiously.

September 14th, 1922.

Good lord, she was in the twenties. The Roaring Twenties.

Rey thought back through the mud that was her secondary school back in England, trying to remember anything she could about the twenties. The First World War had finished and everything was progressing rapidly, everyone was enjoying the economic boom. There were parties and automobiles and new inventions. Everyone lived in excess and loved it.

“You said the party is tonight… Father?” Rey asked slowly. The parental address felt foreign on her tongue.

“You’ve only been talking about it for weeks, sparrow.” Her father replied. “Are you sure you’re feeling well enough to go?”

“Yes.” Rey confirmed quickly. “I just slept funny is all.” She was anxious to find Ben and get back. There were far too many emotions to deal with having her own eyes look back at her with such love and concern. “Um… Father?” Rey started. “When is the party again?”

“This evening… four pm, I believe.”

“And how am I getting there?”

“Charles will drive you. We discussed this just yesterday.”

“Good. Just making sure you remember. Can I be excused? It’s going to take me all day to be ready.”

There was a fraction of relief that crossed over her father’s face. She must have said something like his Rey would have.

“Yes yes, go on and preen those feathers, little sparrow. Lord knows how much of my money you’ve spent on your outfit this time. The mask alone would make a less fortunate man weep.”

_Mask?_

Was the party a masquerade?

Rey smiled and allowed herself to reward the kind man with a gentle hug and kiss on his well weathered cheek before she flitted upstairs, admiring the woodwork on the moldings and railings as she passed. There were richly colored rugs under her feet and shining fixtures on the walls; whoever the Rey was in this life, she was much more fortunate that Rey could have ever dreamed to be.

Her soft slippers hesitated on the first landing and Rey realized she had no clue which one of the heavy wooden doors had her room behind it. It wasn’t as if she could go back down and ask the man that was her father. He would for sure reconsider his decision to let her go to the party and she had to find Professor Solo.  She wondered for a moment how he was doing, suddenly finding himself engaged and hosting a party all at once.

Rey spotted a maid exiting one of the rooms, the young girl startling as she spotted her hovering on the stairs.

“You okay, Miss Rey?” She offered kindly.

“I’m just fine. Would you go into my room for a moment?” Rey asked casually, having a flash of an idea. The maid looked puzzled for a moment, but complied, turning around and heading down the hall. Rey followed her as th    ey turned a corner and entered the room at the far end, the maid pushing open the ornately carved door. They both walked into a bright sunlit room and Rey smiled.

Yes, this would be her room.

There was sunshine and plants everywhere, just as Rey had in her own apartment with Rose. She did not, however, have anything close to the enormous four poster bed that was planted in the center, close to the fireplace.

“How can I help you, Miss?” The maid asked politely and Rey thought quickly, her mental gears spinning as she thought quickly on her feet.

Rey opened her wardrobe, relieved to see her dress for the evening already pulled forward.

“Do you think this will look good?” Rey asked her quietly, taking in it the yards of fabric and folds. “You know, from one girl to another?”

The maid looked startled for a moment, then pleased. “It is ever so fine, Miss Rey. You always pick the best dresses.”

“Thank you.” Rey whispered as she spotted matching heels and a box with a mask and the maid smiled before scurrying off. Rey pulled the mask from the box, admiring its dainty lace shape. It was the same exact shade of green that her dress was and she knew it had to have been custom made. Rey placed it gently back into the box and left the wardrobe open to display her gown as she wandered the room.

Her fingers trailed delicately over the edges and surfaces of trinkets that belonged to her in this lifetime and she wondered what part of the universe decided that this Rey deserved a life of such easy luxury, while she herself had been abandoned by her parents and forced to live a lonely painful childhood. She had no parties or gowns, only foster homes and hunger. She was never a daughter, only a number in the system.

Rey sighed and plopped herself in front of a rather filigreed vanity, the mirrors gleaming back her sorrowful expression. She reached up with her hand, noticing her hair was cut into a short bob, the edges curled slightly, as they always did when her hair was short. Other than that, her eyes and face was exactly as she had seen this morning in her own mirror.

There were tons of little drawers on Rey’s vanity and she explored them all, finding tins and tubes of makeup, beads and jewelry, perfumes and oils. There were jeweled headbands and feathers and head wraps and Rey felt entirely overwhelmed. She had no idea how she was going to get dressed and made up to be one of the fashion forward socialites of the twenties. She had never longed for her cell phone and the internet more than she did now, a quick Google search would have solved everything.

There was a furrow in her brow as she considered her options; Rey was never one to back away from a challenge and she carefully began to open the tins and tubes and take in her color choices. She was never one to be good with makeup in her own decade, let alone left to her own devices in the 20’s.

It was lucky for her she had all day to try to put this together. She was in the middle of curling her hair with odd metal rollers when the same maid came in with a tray for lunch. The maid took one look at the curler sticking out her head and smiled.

“Do you need some help, Miss Rey?” She asked gently.

“I guess I’m so nervous.” Rey groaned. “I can’t seem to do anything right today.”

The maid set the tray of light sandwiches and jelloed fruit in front of Rey and slowly unfurled the mess she had made of her hair.

“Don’t tell my father, please?” Rey nibbled on the cucumber sandwich. “He wouldn’t let me go if he knew I’m not quite myself.”

“Your secret is safe.” She replied. “From one girl to the other.” Her maid worked quickly and efficiently to recurl her hair, pinning the rollers in place. “I can understand your apprehension, Miss. I would be nervous too if I were going to the engagement party of the man I loved to someone else.”

The man she loved.

This Rey was in love with Ben Solo.

Things suddenly clicked in Rey’s mind, like puzzle pieces falling rapidly into place. Perhaps the last Rey, the Victorian Rey was also in love with Ben Solo, her doctor.

“I’m sorry, Miss.” Her maid was flustered. “I didn’t mean to bring up painful memories.” She gave Rey’s completed hair a light pat and Rey grinned in appreciation.

“It’s no worries. Thank you for your help.” Rey wanted to ask her name, but didn’t know how without sounding crazy. This girl had obviously been with her Rey for awhile.  

“If it’s any consolation, Miss. You’re much prettier than _her_. Than his fiancé.” Her maid gave her a light smile before leaving and Rey blushed, busying herself with picking out a matching headpiece.

It was several hours later before she was finished. She had done up her makeup, cat eyes with a hint of shadow and blush. Her lips were a matte rose to compliment the green of her dress, which hung from her fame as if it had been sewn around her. For all she knew, it could have been, but it was a perfect fit. The dropped waist suited her figure and the gathered fabric around the bottom accentuated her legs. She paired it with a coiled band in a matching color that wound around her head and then of course, the mask, which was held gently in place with a slight band.

She felt the prettiest she had ever been and she gave herself what had to be a millionth scan in front of the mirror. She felt the empty ache for her phone once again, wishing she could grab a selfie of her overall accomplishment.

There was a light knock on her door and her father stood there, beaming. “You look beautiful, sparrow.” He praised. “If only your mother could see you now.”

“Thank you, Father.” Rey breathed. He held out a warm fur shrug and Rey grinned gratefully before slipping it on.

“Charles is outside waiting with the car. Be safe and stick to your curfew.” He reminded sternly as Rey flew down the stairs.

Charles was the butler, she had determined and she grinned at him as he held the car door open for her. She had been to a few old car shows in her life. One of her foster fathers had obsessed over them and he had brought her to a few car shows where she had oogled and stared at all the old vintage cars. The old Fords were always a favorite and Rey let out a little squeal of happiness as she spotted a shiny Ford Model A waiting, parked on the gravel drive in front of the house. Rey climbed happily inside, thanking Charles as he came to secure the door behind her.

Charles started the Ford, the engine chuckling in response and Rey couldn’t help the pull of nerves that tugged through her gut as the car pulled out onto the drive. She watched through the window as the trees blurred, a smear of browns and greens on a grey evening.

“Don’t worry.” She whispered, her promise leaving a soft fog on the glass. “I’m coming, Professor.”

 

* * *

 

The party was in full swing by the time she arrived at the huge manor and Rey was quick to scan the crowd, looking for her Professor. Her eyes darted to every tall male, to every shock of dark hair and she felt a pulling in her gut as she made her way through the rooms.

He was here… somewhere.

She wished she had the time to take in the surroundings, only able to memorize glimpses of the festivities as she anxiously searched for the other half of her ticket home. Jazz music floated throughout the rooms, each one lavishly decorated. There were people mingling everywhere, laughing, smoking and sipping drinks and Rey tried to search each room thoroughly. There was a pseudo casino set up in what appeared to be the dining hall, people milling around the black jack and roulette tables and Rey pushed past them eagerly to try to find him.

She could tell she was getting closer.

It was as if they were connected by a string. When they were far apart it plucked tight and painful, yet as she drew closer the notes between them grew low, melodic and relaxed, nearly vibrating with its resonation.

Rey passed by the drinks and refreshments and into the ballroom where a live band was playing and couples danced jovially to the rich tones of the trumpets and bass. It was there that she spotted him, his height and the way he held his shoulders a dead giveaway. He was in an all black suit with a black tie, cutting an intimidating stance as usual. A silk black mask covered half of his face, but there was no mistaking the way his ears stood out of his long thick hair or the marks that constellated over his skin.

She let out a sigh of relief as she drank him in.

It was then she noticed a female arm tucked under his elbow, clutching him like a drowning man would hold a life preserver. Rey’s eyes narrowed as she took in the fiancé of this timeline’s Ben Solo. She was tall despite being dwarfed by his frame, with golden hair in a perfect sleek bob. She was gorgeous, dressed in a form fitting red dress that flared out at the knees. She had on a small slip of red over her nose and brow, barely a mask at all; her face and calculating smile were there for all to see.

Rey watched as she pulled on Professor Solo’s arm, making him lean down low enough for her whisper something into his ear. She giggled and his mouth tugged into a frown as he straightened.

“Please be my Professor.” Rey whispered as she made her way up to the couple of the hour, weaving through the guests and dancers as she set her eyes on her rather handsome target.

“Well if it isn’t little Rey Jackson.” The blonde’s voice cut over the crows as she approached. The Professor’s head whipped in her direction, startling at the sound of her name. “I don’t remember sending you an invitation.”  The blonde released her grip on his arm and sauntered over, standing before her and cutting Rey off from his path. “Such a brave move, showing up here.” She hissed.

“I’m here to wish you congratulations.” Rey bit her tongue, trying to keep herself from looking over at him.

“I’m sure you are. Wish us right over a cliff is more like it.” The blonde sneered. “Everyone knows your heartbreaking tale of being cast aside. “ She made a tear gesture by her eye. “Ben wants nothing to do with you. You need to leave.”

“I just need to speak with him, just for a moment.”

“Still trying, I see.” She scoffed. “He chose me. Now get out before I have you thrown out. You wouldn’t want your father to see that on tomorrow’s paper, would you?”

“Bazine.” His voice washed over them, soothing Rey’s panic like a balm. “There’s no need to be cruel.”

Rey watched, her eyes flickering with hope as the Professor joined them. It was hard not to admire the way he looked in his perfectly tailored jacket, the mask only adding to his appeal. She tried to meet his eyes, desperate for a glimmer of recognition that they were out of their time again.

But he ignored her.

“Ben.” Bazine let out a huff, her voice whining his name. “Your ex is ruining my party. You know how much it took to plan everything.”

“I’m aware, my dear.” He sighed. “Let me see Rey out quietly. You wouldn’t want to have her cause a scene, right?”

“Of course, my love.” Bazine shot him a smile. “Fine, take out the trash but be quick about it. I want to show everyone how much you’ve improved at dancing.”

Rey squeaked as the Professor’s hand came up to her elbow, his grip hard and pressing as he pushed them out of the room.

“Are you Ben? “ Rey whispered. “Or are you my Professor Solo.”

“Quiet.” He hissed. “Not here.”

Rey felt the sting of tears as he led them quickly away from the party, his stride long and relentless and she had to nearly jog to keep up with him and his hold on her.

She expected him to whirl her out the front door but instead found herself being led through a side corridor and into a dark room. He shut the door quickly behind them as he released her into the space, ensconcing them into darkness and Rey sniffed, fighting back her need to cry.

There was a flick and a few lights flared, dim but effective, casting the room in a warm orange glow. Rey wrapped her arms around herself, self soothing as she knew how and she chewed her nails nervously. He was quiet as he slowly rounded on her, his expression near impossible to read under his silk mask.

“Please…” Rey’s voice broke.

“It’s me, Rey.” He answered. His hands lifted to push off the mask and Rey nearly sobbed at the warm familiar eyes beneath. He strode over to her, gathering her to him and he gently pushed her own mask from her face. His hand came up to cup her face and his thumb stroked her cheek, capturing a tear that had escaped.

“That woman out there is terrifying.” He breathed. “I wish I could have found you sooner. She has been driving me crazy with all the party stuff since I got here this morning.”

Rey let out a laugh, mostly in relief and he joined in with a light chuckle.

“I came as soon as I could.” Rey leaned against him, seeking comfort in his warmth.  “I can’t believe this happened again.”

“No coffee this time either.” The Professor hummed.

“Do you think we go home the same way as last time?” Rey asked nervously, biting her lip. He moved his hand, pulling her lip from under her teeth.

“There’s only one way to find out.” He breathed, tilting his face down towards hers. She leaned up hungrily, meeting his lips with hers as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She could feel him smile into the kiss and someone hummed in satisfaction before the world turned white again.

There was a sudden push as he shoved Rey back and she found herself sprawling on the floor, wincing as she landing on her hip.  

Professor Solo looked pained as he glanced down at her, extending a hand to help her before quickly withdrawing it.

“So… so you see them too.” Rey whispered and his eyes widened.  

He gathered his bag in haste and bolted from the room before Rey could even pick herself all the way off the floor.

“You okay?” Another student asked as she picked up her books.

“Yeah… Thanks.” Rey replied, rubbing where she had landed. “Hey, do you know where Mr. Solo’s office is?”

“In the First Order building on the left side somewhere.”

“Thanks.” Rey smiled as she headed towards the door. She would normally turn to the right to head towards her economics class, but today she turned left, her feet taking her over to the First Order building.

There were dozens of questions that were now burning through her mind and only one man in the whole galaxy that could even attempt to answer them.

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for being here!! 
> 
> Coming up next... Things are about to get Medieval.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think!!! What time period are you curious to see them in? 
> 
> Also, you're welcome for the Cyndi Lauper that is now in your head. 
> 
> Come and find me on [Tumblr!](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/gopherbroke)


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